最后一站(The Last Stop)

afternoonwasmrs.conroy＇sfavoritetimeofday.afteraharddayatwork,hereyesweretiredandherfeethurt.sheenjoyedthenicelongnapshetookonthebus.mrs.conroyhadmadefriendswiththebusdriver,mr.angstrom.healwayswokeherupbeforeherstop.

sheusuallyfeltfreshasadaisywhenshegotoffthebus.buttodaywasdifferent.mr.angstromwasn＇tdriving.asmallmaninawrinkleduniformsatinthedriver＇sseat."where＇smr.angstrom?"askedmrs.conroy,droppinghermoneyintothebox."idon＇tknow.sick,iguess.ijustworkhere,lady.steptotherear."mrs.conroyhopedthatmr.angstromwasallright.shedidn＇tlikethisnewdriver.shedecidednottosleeponthewayhometoday.shedidn＇twanttoaskthisdrivertowakeher.hedidn＇tlooklikethetypewho＇dwanttodoanyoneafavor.mrs.conroylookedoutthewindow.itwasawarmafternoon.

thoughshetriedtokeephereyesopen,thegentlerockingofthebushadalullingeffect.withinafewminuteshereyesclosed.herheaddroppedtohershoulders.inspiteofherself,mrs.conroyfellfastasleep.thenextthingmrs.conroyknew,ahandwasonhershoulder.someonewasshakingherawake."wakeup,lady.we＇vecometotheendoftheline.wakeup."mrs.conroyblinkedandopenedhereyes.

thebusdriverlookeddownather."isaid,thisistheendoftheline,lady.timetogetoffthebus."mrs.conroypeeredoutthewindow."whereami?"sheasked."iwassupposedtogetoffatessexavenue.""you＇reatthelaststop,lady.comeon,getoffthebus.ihaveascheduletokeepto."mrs.conroywashavingtroublewakingup.shestaggeredtoherfeet.thebusdrivertookherarmandhelpedherdowntheaisle.asshesteppedoffthebus,shefeltasenseofpanic."waitaminute,"shesaidinashrillvoice."thisisn＇tessexavenue.

whereami?howcanigethome?""cooloff,lady.itoldyou,you＇reattheendoftheline.weallmakeitheresoonerorlater.""butwhycan＇tiridebackwithyou?"shepleaded."ihavethefare!""sorry,lady,"hesaidasheclosedthedoor."it＇sagainsttherules."mrs.conroywatchedthebusdisappeardowntheroad.shelookedaroundandtriedtofigureoutwhatpartofthecityshewasin.suddenlythesunseemedawfullybright.mrs.conroysquinted.shedidn＇trecognizethisplace.

therewerenotreesaround,nostreetsigns,andnopeople.thecityseemedtohaveendedmilesback.shecouldn＇tgetherbearings.therewasnothingtoseeinanydirection.nothingatall.mrs.conroywonderedifshewerestilldreaming."areyouready,madam?"thevoicecamefrombehindher.mrs.conroywhirledaround,herheartbeatingrapidly."who?what?areyouspeakingtome?"atall,handsomemaninabluepin-stripedsuitsteppedforward.hissuitremindedheroftheonethatherboss,mr.burton,alwayswore.whatwasabusinessmandoingsofarouthereinthecountry?themansmiled."yes,mrs.conroy.i＇vecometomeetyou.it＇stimetogonow.""gowhere?whatareyoutalkingabout?andhowdoyouknowmyname?"themaninthebluesuitsmiled."iknowitmustbeveryconfusing,mrs.conroy.mostpeopleseemtofeelthatwayatfirst.butaswegoalong,everythingwillbecomequiteclear."hetookherbythearm."it＇sallright,"hesaidkindly."justcomewithme.""no!i＇mnotgoinganywherewithyou.whyshouldi?idon＇tevenknowwhoyouare,"mrs.conroysaid.shepulledawayfromthemanandsteppedback.

themansmiledgently."i＇monlyanassistant,mrs.conroy,"hesaid."well,mr.assistant,theremustbesomemistake.ijustfellasleepandstayedonthebustoolong.thenthedrivermademegetoff.hewouldn＇ttakemebackwithhim!hetalkedsomenonsenseaboutrules.i＇mgoingtocallthecompanyandreporthim!""hewasjustdoinghisjob,mrs.conroy,"themansaidpatiently."butheleftmeoutherealone,"mrs.conroysaid."nowit＇sgettinglate.ihavetogethomeandfixdinner.whatkindofbusdriverrefusestotakepassengers?"themaninthebluesuitsteppedtowardmrs.conroyandtookherarmagain.thistimeshedidn＇tresist.hepattedherhandandsmileddownather."you＇llhavetoforgivethedriverforbeingrude,mrs.conroy.he＇snewatthejob.buthewasonlyfollowingorders.yousee,mrs.conroy,thisistheendoftheline.youdon＇thavetoworryaboutgettinghomeandfixingdinner.ourpassengersonlygooneway."